Avocado grower gets creative to survive

Pablo Vazquez fills crates with avocados at Ben Holtz' farm north of Escondido. Holtz has taken his crop to the internet, marketing through search engines, emails and blogs. He currently sends special orders across the country. Peggy Peattie/U-T

Pablo Vazquez fills crates with avocados at Ben Holtz' farm north of Escondido. Holtz has taken his crop to the internet, marketing through search engines, emails and blogs. He currently sends special orders across the country. Peggy Peattie/U-T

Pablo Vazquez fills crates with avocados at Ben Holtz' farm north of Escondido. Holtz has taken his crop to the internet, marketing through search engines, emails and blogs. He currently sends special orders across the country. Peggy Peattie/U-T

During the past decade, Ben Holtz has watched spiraling water costs drive numerous avocado growers in Southern California out of business.

Those who remain — including Holtz and his 70-acre, family-run avocado farm north of Escondido — do so because they’ve found an affordable source of water or gotten creative about how to stay in business.

“It’s been a survival of the fittest,” said Holtz, adding that he has reinvested in his property by drilling 20 wells (only a couple of them produced water) and starting californiaavocadosdirect.com, an online avocado gift-box business.

“I’m attacking it from all fronts,” said Holtz, 29.

Water prices for growers in San Diego County have doubled since 2006, according to farm officials. The increase has been particularly costly for growers of avocado and citrus trees, which require large quantities of water.

That combination of factors is largely responsible for the region’s loss of 10,000 acres of avocado trees in recent years, said Eric Larson, executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau.

At their peak, avocado farms covered 35,000 acres in the county. They’re down to about 24,000 acres these days, Larson said.

Holtz, a fourth-generation farmer, said he doesn’t think avocado farms are doomed. Consumers have shown a willingness to pay higher prices for the green fruit, he said. They may be motivated by reasons such as wanting to support U.S. farmers, a family business or a premium-grade product.

Still, Holtz surmised, California’s avocado growers will continue to face the temptation to move out of San Diego County in their search for areas with more affordable water prices.

Others will probably dabble in high-density planting of avocado trees to reduce water use. Holtz is trying that strategy, too, but doesn’t believe this approach alone will reinvigorate the industry.

Despite avocado farming’s many challenges, Holtz hopes to maintain his business for as long as possible because of the personal satisfaction it provides.

“I guess there’s a certain passion you get from working the land,” he said. “Despite the long hours and hard work, at the end of the day, you can feel proud that you’re feeding America.”